OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

I have my Health Card, I'm OK!

I came across a few months earlier than My wife on a Temp Work Permit (1 year), when she followed she had an open TWP linked to mine.

When getting my OHIP card we were told she would have to wait 3 months after arrival to get hers.

We went to get her card as she's now been here long enough, we knew she needed something with her name on it and our address but as I was here earlier than her, I had arranged the hydro, phone, home lease, etc and my wife doesn't drive so no license. The only thing that her name's included is the bank and we bank on-line so no statements.

So we took both passports with the TWP's, I have a driving license and OHIP card and we took a letter from a UK local government, addressed to both of us in Canada.

So naively, I thought as we are a married couple this should be enough.

Trip to Health Office #1 - Sir, we need a letter from your employer stating that they intend to employ you for at least 3 years.

So, went to work and found the HR manager and she quickly printed out a letter saying that I was employed on a permanent basis.


Trip to Health Office #2 - Sir, we need something off this list that shows your wife at that address.

But we have an official letter from the UK - nope :thumbdown:
We're married - nope :blink:
The work permits are linked - nope :eek:

The letter was OK, but she said we should have applied earlier. I said I was told she couldn't, so she says she should have applied in the first 3 months, wouldn't get the card until 3 months up! :unsure:

Off we went to the bank, got them to print a statement with our names.

Trip to Health Office #3 - Sir, the letter from work is no good, its supposed to say 3 years.

But it says permanent - nope, it must say 3 years!!

The supervisor showed me a book where it states that the company letter should show that I would be there at least 3 years.

But permanent is better than 3 years, surely? - nope, it must say 3 years.


By now I was showing extreme outer calm whilst I was boiling inside.

That has to be nit-picking to the extreme, why so pedantic, I never read into those words 'the letter must say 3 years'.



Whole afternoon wasted after taking time off work :curse:


Maybe better luck tomorrow.

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

Almost certainly you'll have better luck tomorrow if you have a different clerk - they seem to be a law unto themselves. We had a similar issue recently, my and OH's OHIP cards expired with my WP and the renewal/extension process has been running very slowly (took over 3 months for WP renewal instead of the quoted 40 days) - so we had to reapply for OHIP when the WP finally came through. First time we went to the office with what I thought was a complete set of documentation, only to be told that we had something wrong somewhere... we went back later the same day with some additional documents but never got the chance to present them because our application was accepted pretty much on the nod as a renewal rather than a re-application. There seems to be little rhyme or reason behind the process.

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

Get used to it - it happens all the time here! The Registry at Shawnessy (Calgary) is the worst one we have been in, Marda Loupe one was the best!

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

And registries in Alberta are privately run.

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

what I also find annoying is you go through all this hassle to get an OHIP card but when you need to show photographic ID a lot of places especially banks won't accept it. This can be a pain if like me you don't have a driver's license.

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

Alberta has a government issued picture ID card for those who don't have a drivers license is there something similar available in Ontario?

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

we ran into similar problems , 3 visits etc. because we lacked suitable proof of address . the stupid thing was that the woman behind the counter actually told me to go get my driving licence as they didn't need proof of address for that but I could then use it as proof of address for OHIP>

Crazeeeeee

you have my sympathy.

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

Not as far as I know.

Also when I went to Service Canada to apply for Maternity Benefit I was told they don't consider a British Passport as valid ID as far as they are concerned it's just a travel document. Luckily I also had my PR card with me.

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

I just hope spelling cautionary incorrect won't count against my English skills when my PR app. goes in :o

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

Ah. Well. If you don't have a driving license here you are considered substandard, likely a turrist and perhaps tinged with radical thoughts. You've gotta consume, it's only patriotic.

I should certainly hope it does. That's "incorrectly" by the way.

Re: OHIP - Frustration - a causionary tale.
 

[QUOTE=Novocastrian;5464630]Ah. Well. If you don't have a driving license here you are considered substandard, likely a turrist and perhaps tinged with radical thoughts.

being from Norn. Iron. it's more than likely I'm sure!;)